~ A new era in fitness

In this century, people have become used to the fast paced life. This lifestyle change is, not only causing negative effects on their health, body and mind but also, becoming a cause of many chronic and cardiovascular diseases. Among these, the obesity is turning out to be a growing concern in the world’s population. Overweight and obesity were first considered a problem of rich countries only, but now they have become a concern in developing countries also. India is not an exception to them and there are rising numbers of people in middle-class that are obese.

India is following rising trends in obesity. With the industrialization, the country is becoming richer and the citizens are becoming obese and seeking medical help. People do not want to walk and prefer to drive to work. Statistics show that the country is on the urge of becoming a nation with more than half of its population being obese or suffering weight related illnesses and diseases.

People are attracted towards processed foods. A lot of the Indian population has started relying on processed food which contains a huge percentage of Trans fat, sugars, and other unhealthy and artificial ingredients. The fat build up in a person’s body may cause them to suffer from chronic diseases and severe illnesses. A few years ago operations and surgeries were not needed because people were active and did not rely on processed food. These days’ plastic surgeons and doctors are in high demand to perform surgeries to make a person look slimmer and prevent their bodies against diseases.

People in this era have no time to exercise due to their busy schedule. Many who want to exercise don’t have time to due to the commitments they have made. People need to start managing their time accordingly so they have some time of their busy life devoted for exercising. They need to make an agenda for the day and find some time which they can use to exercise. Another reason why obesity is a concern is due to alcohol and drugs. Much of the population is not aware of the side effects of alcohol and drugs. We need to educate people about the negative effects of drugs on one’s body. Substance abuse can lead to obesity and cause chronic diseases.

The government in India should start implementing their concerns for obesity in schools. Children these days are not aware of the diseases obesity can cause. We need to increase child awareness in India and start helping the ones who have chosen the come path to come back on track. As a nation we can help those who have took unhealthy decisions by spreading the word and starting new organizations which would go help people in the community lose weight.

Residents in India should stop going to fat food restaurants and eating food there. We need to stand together and stop the build up of new fast food franchise in our community so the residents won’t have to face the consequences which affect their health. Eating a little amount of fast food in a month is okay for the body but not every day or every two weeks. People need to realize that all this fat will block their blood arteries and they may suffer from illnesses and chronic diseases.

There are lots of ways to reduce obesity. One of them is that one should eat a fruit salad instead of eating sweets. Sweets are high in sugar and glucose. Another is to eat more green vegetables. There are lots of foods that have low levels of fat which people would enjoy eating. To stop this increase of obesity in India people need to take action about it at an earlier stage. Everyone should exercise daily and eat healthy food. Even stress sometimes is related to obesity. A person should always be relaxed and not stress out about every other thing in life.

This is the age of marketing and given the number of players in operation in the food industry, the fight for shelf space in malls and in our houses for their products have resulted in a strange kind of fight. The victims ultimately are innocent consumers who aren’t informed enough to make the right choices for themselves and their salary. Here are some examples which will get you thinking about your food choices.

‘Natural’ has no definition:

What does this word mean, exactly? It has no definition nor is it regulated by most nations’ food regulatory bodies, and it doesn’t pertain to food’s nutritional content, ingredients, safety, or health effects.

The label must explain what makes the product natural (such as “no added coloring”), which essentially relegates it to buzzword status.

In fact, high fructose corn syrup is considered “natural” despite being a chemical byproduct.

‘Zero Trans Fats’ does not mean zero:

Trans fats can take advantage of a common food label loophole: if food has 0.5 grams or less of a nutrient, it can be listed as zero grams on the nutrition facts label.

If “partially hydrogenated” appears on a food label, even if it’s under 0.5 grams, the serving sizes can add up and become a pretty substantial amount of trans fat.

‘Made with Real Fruit’ or ‘Contains Real Fruit Juice’ has no minimum amount:

There is no law that requires a minimum amount of real fruit or fruit juice for a product to make this claim. In essence, one drop of orange juice in a drink is enough to satisfy the quota.

One good way to check how much real fruit is used in a drink is to check the ingredients. If high fructose corn syrup is high the list, chances are the amount of actual fruit is low.

‘Whole Grains’ is not the same as 100% whole grain:

Just like “real fruit,” whole grain food can attain the label simply by having just a pinch of whole grain thrown back into the refined grain mix.

There are many variations on the “grain” idea, but only “100 percent whole grain” can be considered a healthy choice. Everything else can slip by with just scant amounts of the good stuff.

‘Fat Free/Low Fat’ is sometimes attributed to products that are naturally free anyway:

Fat free gives the impression of being a healthy option, but that’s not always the case. Once again, the number of calories or grams of fat per serving may be small, but it depends on how many servings in the carton/box/bottle.

Also, some products may try to trick you with a fat-free label. For example, “fat free” orange juice is redundant — oranges are fat free to begin with.

‘Extra Light Olive Oil’ refers to colour, not content:

With many food products, “light” means that there is 50 percent less fat or sodium, or a third of the calories. Not so with olive oil: light simply refers to the color of the oil, which sounds healthier but just means your oil will be more translucent. And with an oft-used product like olive oil, that difference is huge.

Many would have already guessed who the two people being referred to here are. Yes, we are talking about Sumini Geoge and Vivek Saxena, the duo who are currently taking the Weight Loss Test with Nap. It’s been over a month since the Test started so it’s a good time to take a closer look at the results so far.

Sumini, the homemaker with three children who had admitted of putting on unwanted weight because negligent food habits and a sedentary lifestyle, has lost an incredible 3 kgs since she joined the program in August, 2011. In terms of inch loss too, the data shows and impressive decrease of almost 11 inches for her.

Vivek, you will remember from our earlier post as the guy whose irregular work hours and junk food habits led him to gain weight. Thanks to the Nap Body Studio Weight Loss Test, Vivek has lost 2 kgs and an even more impressive 14 inches from his body. He is feeling leaner and more confident with each passing day.

We are glad to have added our two pennies in the happiness quotient of these two beautiful people this festive season.

While we may be living in a world of unparalleled technological advancements and comforts, we are also living in a world which is seeing increasingly high levels of stress, especially in the corporate world. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls stress “a world-wide epidemic”. In Japan there is even a word for occupational sudden death, karoushi, which translates as “death from overwork”.

Our intention is not in the least bit to scare you but to awaken you to the gravity of this issue. While some of us are aware of stress at some level but due to certain constraints and unavailability of viable options we Continue reading →

For all the technological advances of the last few decades, fitness regimes of the old in India continue to be limited to a morning walk in the neighborhood park (for those lucky enough to have such a park in their vicinity) or street and an occasional evening stroll around house premises. The adventurous few take up yoga but even that may become strenuous and and risky for the old.

Remember how we were told that we have to work hard for everything in life. Well as true as that may be in other cases, we at Nap Body Studio are here to give you a fitter body without the stress of a heavy workout. Allow me to introduce you to the state-of-the-art technology which has been changing lives in Australia, Asia, Europe and United States: Motorized Calisthenics. Continue reading →

Water. Is there any resource as precious as safe drinking water? I think not. However, even with convenient access to potable water, there are many among us who do not realize the importance of consuming sufficient quantities of water during the course of the day. The benefits of drinking water are many, from reducing the risk of heart attacks to helping in weight loss. Below, we look at some these key benefits. Continue reading →

Diwali or Deepavali, better known as the “festival of lights”, is perhaps the most popular and widely celebrated festival of India. It is celebrated with unparalleled fervor and zeal by Indians in India as well as throughout the world to commemorate the return of Lord Rama, (along with Sita and Lakshmana) from his 14-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana.

We, at Nap Body Studio, plan to make your Diwali even more special this year with an offer almost too good to resist. May we present to you the ‘Nap Body Studio Lose Inches and Gain Confidence’ offer:

Nap Body Studio is here to give you a healthy break from the exhausting and painful conventional exercise and weight-loss methods, rampant in the market today. Ideal for all age groups – youngsters, middle aged, professionals and senior citizens, Nap promises to wow you with its unique combinations of relaxing exercises, toning tables, motorized calisthenics and continuous passive motion machines.

The technology, which was introduced 30 years ago by a health professional while dealing with medically challenged patients, has today revolutionized the Fitness & Wellness industry in USA, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. This amazing technology is now available to you at our Bangalore outlet (Drop by for a visit and we’ll love to show you around)

This Diwali, we want to make sure that you enjoy the festivities in all its glory without worrying a wink about your fitness and weight. So sit back, relax and let Nap do the magic!

Wine is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages on the planet. Its history spans thousands of years and while heavy drinking of any alcoholic beverage rather brings lots of health-related troubles instead of benefits, current research suggests that a glass of red wine each day may be providing you with more than just a little relaxation.

Reduced risk of death from nearly all causes: European researchers suggest that moderate daily intake of red wine (22-32 g of alcohol) has a protective effect on all-cause mortality. According to studies from France, UK,Finland and Denmark, moderate consumption of wine is more beneficial than that of beer or spirits. Continue reading →

Salt has never been an enemy in anyone’s home. We consume it with almost everything that’s edible. It is always the basic ingredient to our “master piece” and we can never have enough of it. Although little did one know that it is also one of the most dangerous ingredients if excessively consumed. Continue reading →